down into the depths
by JENGEORGE
Summary: A Chris Colfer/Mark Salling RPS. Chris is a great friend and Mark accepts that friendship might be all he ever has with him. An unusual situation Mark finds himself him changes all that. Written for the dreamwidth kinkmeme prompt: Mark/Chris, shaving/depiliatory.


**A/N Written for carolinecrane and her prompt over on the dreamwidth kinkmeme asking for **_**Chris/Mark ,shaving/depilatory fic.**_

Mark's eating lunch and reading through next week's shooting schedule when he sees it. On Tuesday he'll back on Lot 3 for the afternoon for some poolside scenes where, once again, any character growth for Noah Puckerman will be tossed out by the writers for a quick chest shot. And Mark gets it, really, he does. And he's certainly not going to complain; he still has a hard time believing he's actually earning a living as an actor. He knows that there are a thousand other guys who would love to be in his shoes right now.

But poolside scenes mean no shirt; and when he isn't wearing a shirt that means having to get his chest waxed so he looks more like the teenager he's playing. Mark's not a wimp, but getting waxed fucking _hurts_. It's been a while too, so his chest hair's nearly all grown in. Cringing, Mark thinks about how they're going to have to do around his nipples again…

"You're looking at that sandwich like it's done you a disservice," Chris says as he slides into the empty space beside Mark with his own lunch tray. "I'd offer you some of my soup, but I know how you feel about carrots, and it's loaded with them."

Chris pops the lid off his soup container and Mark wrinkles his nose when he leans over and sees that Chris wasn't kidding about the carrots. Not that it matters. His chicken club is delicious.

"Thanks for the offer, but what I have is fine."

"Then what's up?" Chris asks, and Mark should know by now that very little gets past Chris Colfer. He's great at reading people, understanding what they're feeling. It's probably what makes him such a great actor. It definitely makes him a great friend.

"It's nothing, really. I have to shoot over at the pool next week."

Chris nods in understanding, "The writers going for skin over substance again, I take?"

Mark huffs a laugh. He's not wrong even if that isn't Mark's issue right now. He's not surprised that Chris said it though. On more than one occasion Chris has told him that he feels like the writer's have missed an opportunity with Noah Puckerman. That Mark could do so much more with the character if given the chance. Chris is so passionate when he says it that Mark can't help but be flattered. He's glad to have Chris by his side, in his corner. He's never known anyone quite like him.

Playing Kurt Hummel is just the beginning for Chris. Mark has no idea what will happen for him once Glee's over but Chris has book deals, movie deals, and the best of Hollywood just waiting to work with him. His talent radiates from every pore of his body, so having Chris tell you that you're talented really means something. It means something to Mark, anyhow.

"I suppose it could be worse, even if it's getting old. But, why change now?" Mark says with a shrug.

Chris keeps watching him like he knows that there's more to the story than Mark is saying. It's not like Mark's ashamed of his body—far from—so Mark should've expected Chris to not just let it go.

And Mark's never been one to hold back what he's thinking, even if what he's thinking makes him feel like a total pussy, so it only takes a few minutes of calculated silence on Chris's part before Mark blurts out, "Ryan makes me get rid of the hair on my chest when we film and it's completely grown in again so it's gonna hurt like a bitch to get it waxed off. Okay?"

Chris freezes, spoon halfway to his mouth and it's pretty obvious that's not what he'd expected to hear. "Oh, um…" Chris lets out a snort that almost causes him to spill his carrot-filled soup everywhere.

It does sound ridiculous once he's said it out loud, so Mark isn't even offended by Chris's reaction. "I know I sound like a big baby but I was kinda hoping to get through the rest of the season without having to do it again."

"It does sound…painful," Chris answers with a shudder, his eyes looking at Mark's chest like he's picturing the hair being ripped off.

Mark's hand comes up to rub across the expanse of his chest, like he can already feel the pain. "It's no picnic, I'll give you that."

Chris doesn't say anything back and Mark looks up to notice that Chris is tracking the movement of his hand on his chest, his soup forgotten. When Chris sees him looking his cheeks light up like they're on fire and he looks back at his soup like it's the most interesting thing he's seen all day.

It's not the first time Mark's noticed Chris checking him out. Mark's done plenty of looking at Chris as well in the time they've known each other; they've just never acknowledged it. Mark can't even pinpoint why. He knows he's got a certain image, and he's never bothered to try to change it; there's never been a reason to. His friendship with Chris is important to him—_Chris_ is important to him—and he doesn't want to ruin it for a fling or a one-off. Not that Chris is that kind of guy, but he's never given Mark a reason to think that wants anything more than friendship, so Mark's not going to do anything to fuck it up.

Mark returns to eating his sandwich and they eat in silence for a few minutes before Chris asks, quietly, "Is it thick?"

Mark looks over at Chris, surprised by the question, but Chris refuses to look back, like if he does he'll have to admit that he asked a question about Mark's _chest hair_.

"Yeah, it's _really _thick." And maybe it makes Mark a tease when he leans in and adds, "Especially around my nipples," but he's not the one who brought the whole discussion back up.

Chris takes in a sharp breath and his eyes are back on Mark's chest and he lifts his hand and holds it not even an inch away from Mark's chest like he's thinking about finding out for himself if Mark is telling the truth or not. Chris shakes his head like he's having a hard time keeping his train of thought and puts his hand back down on the table. Clearing his throat he asks, "Have you tried shaving it?"

"I did once. Too itchy, and I ended up with a bunch of red bumps that took forever to go away."

"Oh, that's no good." Chris does reach out and touch Mark this time, just a hand on his shoulder, and wrinkles his nose in sympathy. Mark leans into the touch, because he just can't stop himself. He'd deny it if asked, but he thinks it's adorable when Chris makes that face. He can't help but stare.

This is usually when Chris backs off. Whenever they get too close, or touch too long, or act like there might be anything more between them than just being friends and Chris pulls back to make a joke or give Mark a playful shove to remind them of the line they don't cross.

He doesn't this time. Instead, Chris runs his hand down from Mark's shoulder to rest solidly in the middle of Mark's chest and lets it rest there, the heat of his palm seeping into Mark's skin through his shirt.

"We'll think of something," Chris says quietly.

Mark's heart clenches at the _we_; because as much as he's not let himself think about them ever being a "we" he can't help but want it.

Mark opens his mouth to say…something. He doesn't even know what, he has so many things running through his head and Chris is smiling at him like he knows just what Mark is thinking. "Chris…"

"Excuse me," a production assistant cut in, standing behind Chris. "Mark, you're needed on set. I'm sorry to interrupt." She's completely focused on her clipboard and has no idea what she's interrupted. Marks not so sure either, but it feels like it might have been something big.

It doesn't matter now. Chris's pulls his hand back like it's been burned and the moment's over.

"Thanks, Sharron. I'll be right there." With a sigh Mark gets up and collects his trash. "I'll see ya later, Chris," he says. Without thinking about it too much, he puts his hand on Chris's shoulder and gives it a light squeeze before he walks away. He hopes he'll get another chance to try and figure out what is going on between them.

By the time Mark gets back to his trailer, it's nearly seven o'clock and most of the crew has already left for the night. The afternoon was a long one, with plenty of standing around and waiting, leaving Mark with a lot of time to think about his lunch with Chris. He's confused and excited in equal measure and he's no further along in figuring things out than he was five hours ago when he left Chris sitting at the table looking just as confused.

He's pulling off his shirt to return to wardrobe when there's a knock on his trailer door. "Mark?" he hears Chris say quietly, like he doesn't want anyone to notice he's there.

"It's open," Mark calls out. He debates for a second whether to put his shirt back on or not, but decides that leaving it off might get him some of the answers to the questions that have been running through his head all afternoon.

Chris steps in and pulls the door closed behind him. Mark knows the exact moment Chris notices he's not wearing a shirt because his eyes go wide and it takes several seconds before he takes a deep breath and lets out a nervous laugh before saying, "you weren't kidding about the thick hair." His eyes are glued to Mark's chest and he's blushing again. Mark's never known Chris to be coy or shy, but he thinks he'd like to see that flush more often.

"Do you like it?" Mark asks boldly. The girls that Mark's been with seem to be turned off by it, most of the guys seem indifferent to it, but Mark hasn't been able to figure out if Chris's curiosity is because he likes it or because he's not seen many hairy chests up close. It's not like Chris has a lot of hair, at least not that Mark has noticed. Though, he has noticed how much darker the shadow on Chris's jaw line has gotten over the past year. It's one of many changes Mark's catalogued about Chris. He's changed more than any of them have since starting the show. He's grown up, grown into himself.

Chris bites his lip and looks a minute longer before he meets Mark's eyes. "I think it's a shame you have to get rid of it." Chris moves closer and this time Mark is positive that Chris wants to touch. Mark has no plans of saying no.

"Do you have to wax it?" Chris asks as he takes another step closer and Mark is so focused on trying to figure out what is happening between them that it takes him a moment to register the question.

"Pretty sure I can't get out of it. I was able to get away with a tank top last time, but ratings have been down so I think the writer's are getting desperate."

"Their loss," Chris says and closes the gap between them and this time he does reach up and places a hand on Mark's chest.

Mark's heart is pounding and he's pretty sure Chris can feel it. Mark wants to reach out and wrap his arms around Chris; wants to pull him close, press his lips to Chris's and see what happens. The thought that what might happen could be Chris pushing him away and ruining their friendship stops him from doing it. He wants—_needs_—Chris to make a move, give him a sign, something because Mark has never wanted someone as much as he wants Chris and he's never been so afraid of messing things up.

Chris is watching him, a nervous smile on his face, his fingers lightly scratching through the hair on Mark's chest. And they just stand there, for what feels like forever before Chris clears his throat and says, his voice catching a little, "I think I might have a solution to you problem." He lifts his free hand and that's when Mark notices that Chris is holding a tube of something in his hand.

For a second Mark wonders if its lube and his dick twitches at the thought of Chris being so bold. Chris snorts a quick laugh and Mark looks up to see Chris blushing spectacularly, like he knows _exactly_ what Mark was thinking.

"It's depilatory cream," he says quickly. Seeing the look of confusion on Mark's face, he adds, "You know, hair-removal lotion. You rub it on and let it sit for a few minutes and when you wipe it off it takes the hair with it." Chris rambles on, "It might not work with hair this thick, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to _try_ anyway, and it's certainly less painful than wax…"

"Did you go and buy this today?" Mark interrupts. He's confused as hell right now; Chris is still carding his fingers through the hair on Marks chest like he can't help himself, but Mark doesn't know if Chris is just trying to help a friend out or if there's something more.

Chris bites at his lip to stop his babbling and shakes his head. "No, it's, um…mine, actually." Seeing the obvious question on Mark's lips, he answers preemptively, "I use it on the hair that grows in between my eyebrows. The ladies in make-up used to make a fuss about wanting to pluck it, which sounds like some kind of medieval torture, and my mom showed me this stuff when I told her. It doesn't burn or anything and it gets rid of the hair so I don't look like Burt from Sesame Street."

Mark laughs at the comparison and doesn't think before he reaches out and runs his index finger over the smooth skin above Chris's nose. Chris's eyes close for a moment and he sighs at the touch. "Do you think it'll work?" Mark asks, and if he sounds breathless there's nothing he can do to stop it as its taking everything Mark has to not lean in and kiss him.

"Only one way to find out," Chris answers and he steps back and holds the tube out to Mark.

Mark knows that Chris expects him to take the tube and do it himself, but he's afraid that if he backs off now, Chris will let him and that's just not okay anymore. Instead, Mark stretches his arms out and sticks his chest out in offering, "Alright, then. Do your worst."

Clearly surprised, Chris says, "Oh. I…um…okay, then." He nods his head, steeling his resolve, like he wants to be professional about this. It almost works, except for the way Mark sees his hands shaking when he twists the cap off of the tube.

Chris puts a big dollop on two fingers and steps up to Mark again, and hesitates. "I don't know if I have enough to do your whole chest but if it works we can buy more."

Mark only nods in agreement, because as soon as Chris makes contact with his skin he can't focus on anything except the feeling of Chris's fingers pressing against him, rubbing slick circles over his chest, and then—_Jesus Christ_—around his left nipple.

Mark can't stop the moan that escapes him—his nipples are _really _sensitive—and he's too caught up to control himself, anyway. Chris looks up sharply from what he's doing and looks directly into Mark's eyes. Slowly, Chris pulls his hand back and squeezes more cream onto his fingers and then, his intention clear, begins to slowly rub the cream around Mark's right nipple. Chris's eyes are dark and his face is so flushed even the tips of his ears are red, and Mark doesn't think he's ever seen anyone look so beautiful in all his life.

He figures this is the closest he's gonna get to a sign from Chris, so his arms move automatically to Chris's waist and he doesn't hesitate when he leans in to press their lips together.

Chris _melts_ into the kiss, like he's been waiting just as long as Mark has for this moment. And maybe they're both idiots, but Mark doesn't plan on wasting another minute. He runs his tongue along Chris's bottom lip and with a soft gasp Chris opens his mouth and pushes closer. His hand is trapped between them and his shirt's probably getting hair removal cream all over it, but at least he's wearing his own clothes instead of one of Kurt's bizarre outfits. Mark figures if Chris doesn't care, he's certainly not going to say anything to slow them down.

They kiss, wet, and sloppy, and _amazing _until Mark's lungs feel like they're going to explode and he has to pull back to catch his breath. Chris nestles his head against Mark's shoulder, breathing hot against Mark's neck, like he's afraid to look up and face Mark again, now that they've crossed the line they've always put between them.

Or maybe not. Chris drags his hand down from where it's been pressed between them to wrap both his hands around Mark's back and pulls him flush against him. Mark's hard, has been since Chris first started running his fingers through the hair on Mark's chest. And he knows Chris can feel it, but Mark can feel how hard Chris is too; how he cants his hips forward like he wants Mark to know the effect he's having on him, so he's got nothing to be embarrassed about.

Mark runs his tongue around the rim of Chris's ear and is trying to figure out how to move them over to the small sofa on the other side of the trailer when Chris pulls back. Mark's first instinct is to hold on as tight as he can and refuse to let this moment end, but Chris doesn't go far; just steps back enough to runs his hands up Mark's chest.

"We need to wipe this off or else it'll start to burn."

It takes Mark a second to even remember what Chris is talking about, which makes Chris smile and lean in to press a quick kiss to the corner of Mark's mouth before he lets go completely to grab the towel on the counter and wet it in the kitchenette's sink.

Chris doesn't even think to try to hand off to Mark this time, he just steps close and runs the cool towel over Mark's chest. It feels good against Mark's heated skin, making him shiver, which he thinks is only partly due to the cream Chris rubbed on him.

As he watches he sees that there's a fair amount of hair on the towel before Chris folds the towel to a clean section a few times, taking care to remove all the cream. Taking care of _Mark_, and that's a total turn-on of its own.

"Looks like it worked," Mark whispers, afraid that his voice will come out as a squeak if he tries anything louder.

Chris nods, and turns and tosses the towel into the sink. He runs his fingers lightly over the now smooth, pink skin and Mark is sure he looks ridiculous with just the hair around his nipples missing. He's pretty sure Chris doesn't mind, though, if the way he keeps running his hands around Mark's chest and over his belly is any indication.

Mark thinks that maybe they should try and talk about what's happening with them, but Chris leans forward and runs his tongue through the soft, curly hair that remains in the middle of his chest so Mark decides they can always talk later, after Chris is done using him like a salt lick. It's not a tough decision.

Mark reaches up to cup Chris's face and pulls him up for a deep, slow kiss that Mark feels all the way to his knees. Chris is making these fantastic noises in the back of his throat that are almost whimpers and _why in the hell _have they been waiting to do this? Mark's had plenty of fans throw themselves at him since he started getting recognized, but never has he thought he could come just from kissing someone, could feel so connected to another person. But this isn't just anyone, this is Chris, and he knows that's why this is so amazing. It's terrifying and exhilarating all at once and he hopes Chris feels the same way because he knows there's no way he'll ever be able to go back to how things were between them before.

Mark tugs on Chris's shirt to pull the ends out of Chris's jeans, wanting to feel Chris's skin under his fingers. Chris groans at the contact and all Mark can focus on is needing to get Chris's shirt off.

A sharp rap on the door startles them both and they stare at each other wide-eyed for a second before Sharron, the-assistant-with-the-world's-worst-timing, calls out, "Mark, are you still here? Wardrobe needs their stuff back."

Thankfully she doesn't open the door before Mark replies, "Just give me a second, I'm changing now." Chris looks at him, shoulders shaking in attempt to keep his laughter silent. "Not helping," he mouths as he lets go of Chris to find the shirt he pulled off earlier. He's still wearing Noah's jeans but, fuck it, they can yell at him tomorrow.

Chris steps out of the line of sight before Mark opens the door and pushes the shirt into Sharron's arms. She looks like she's about to ask where the rest of it is but Mark says firmly, "Have a good evening, Sharron," and shuts the door in her face. And that might make him a jerk, but he's got more important thoughts on his mind.

The door is no sooner shut when Mark feels Chris's hands wrap around him and pull him against his chest. "Diva," Chris murmurs in his ear, but he's laughing, so Mark figures he can't be too serious.

Sharron's interruption also reminds Mark of exactly where they are and that they're bound to be interrupted again if they stick around much longer.

"Do you want to come over to my place?" Mark asks directly. He figures if Chris is going to panic and back out now, he might as well get it over with.

"Sure. Of course," Kurt replies, confusion evident in his tone. "We have business to finish, don't we?" Chris reaches down to pick up the tube of hair remover, and Mark's shoulders slump at the thought that the only reason Chris might come over is to help Mark out.

It must show on his face because Chris rolls his eyes. He steps close and presses a soft kiss to Mark's jaw before he says softly in Mark's ear, "And after that, we should probably do something about the rest of the hair on your chest."

A thrill runs through Mark at Chris's tone. He's always known that Chris was sexy; he just didn't know that Chris might know that as well. And fuck, if that's not enough to make Mark want to drag him over to the couch to finish what they started right now.

Mark takes a deep breath and steps back to dig out and pull on the shirt he worn in this morning. He grabs Chris and pulls him in for one more kiss before he picks up his keys and heads toward the door. He looks back to see Chris staring at him, his smile dazed like he can't quite believe this is happening either. For just a second he wonders if now's the moment where Chris changes his mind.

Mark lifts an eyebrow, silently asking the question if Chris is coming. Praying that the answer is yes.

Chris takes a step forward and grabs Mark's hand and they step out the door together, a gesture that speaks volumes about what this all means to him, to _them_. "Let's go," he says, quiet but certain.

Mark squeezes Chris's hand in silent affirmation. He never thought his day would end like this, but he's still got Chris at his side, and he's pretty sure they can figure it out together.


End file.
